MCJ
Comprehensive Examination, the Prospectus,
and
CRJU-C900:
Master’s Research and Practicum
As stated in the Graduate Bulletin, you are
required to successfully complete the MCJ Comprehensive Examination for
the program. The MCJ Comprehensive Examination is a take-home
exam and must be completed, along with the Graduate Exit Survey, before
you can be certified for graduation. The examination may be
composed of 10 essay questions coming from the following areas:
- Theories of Criminal Behavior (CRJU-C700);
- Research Methods and Statistics (CRJU-C710);
- Graduate Statistics (CRJU-C712)
- Criminal Justice Administration II (CRJU-C720);
- Selected Problems in Criminal Justice (CRJU-C800);
- Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation in Criminal
Justice (CRJU-C805);
- Seminar in Criminal Justice (CRJU-C705);
- Seminar in Criminology (CRJU-C850);
- Directed Readings in Criminal Justice (CRJU-C893)
To answer
the
questions as thoroughly as possible, you will have to draw upon the
knowledge you have gained from your courses and the research you have
conducted. We realize, of course, that you have covered a
lot of information as you have proceeded through the program. However,
since this is a take-home exam and you will have access to your notes,
textbooks, the Internet, and other reference materials, you are
expected to answer each question as fully as possible. Below are
some examples of questions that you
may be asked:
1. Select and explain a criminological
theory and discuss the types of data that could be used to test the
theory.
2. Select a specific criminological theory or concrete problem in the
field (e.g., security problem, crime problem) and indicate how you
would conduct empirical research on the theory or problem by tracing it
through the steps in the scientific method. In essence, you are
briefly outlining a research proposal.
As you know, your capstone course, CRJU-900, Master’s Research and
Practicum, consists of directed research in criminal or private justice
under the guidance of one of the graduate faculty The
required final report should demonstrate mastery of professional skills
and knowledge by completing one of the following:
- A 5,000- to 10,000-word original research paper that will be
based on
quantitative data;
- A 5,000- to 10,000-word original research paper that will be
based on a
comprehensive review of the literature;
- A grant proposal following the accepting agency's guidelines, for
example, National Institute of Justice guidelines;
- An evaluation of a criminal/private justice policy or program;
or,
- A security assessment and plan for a corporation or a facility,
such as
an airport or sports facility.
At the time of your MCJ Comprehensive Examination, we would like you to
submit a two or three page prospectus about your project to include the
following information:
1. Name of the
project;
2. The format of the project – e.g., evaluation of a
criminal justice policy, theoretical work;
3. Description of the work;
4. Statement of the relevancy of the work; and
5. A rough working outline of the work.
If you have any questions about the MCJ Comprehensive Examination, the
Prospectus, or the CRJU-900, Master’s Research and Practicum, please
contact David Aplin, 504-865-3323, or via email at mcj@loyno.edu.